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The Socially Awkward Persons Guide to Being Social SoberMay 12, 2014

Most people have a tendency to feel socially awkward sometimes, especially for those in recovery from drug abuse and alcoholism. To have to interact with people one-on-one or in a social setting without their drug or alcohol crutch can be a little intimidating. What if we told you we have 5 easy steps to help you through your next socially awkward social engagement?

5 Steps To Embracing Your Socially Awkward Side With Pride

Meditation: Before each engagement, remember to pray/meditate for the strength and courage to help you socialize without that crippling fear. It seems simple, and it is, but those who meditate find it actually works. Why wouldn’t it work for you?

Acceptance: Accepting who you are and being comfortable with yourself is another great way to handle that next social engagement with ease. Why not embrace your uniqueness? What is normal anyway? And who gets to decide if you are or not? Just be you. Chances are, if you are being yourself, it will be easy to interact and people always appreciate someone who is authentic.

Balance: Make sure you have had enough to eat, have gotten enough sleep/rest, and worked on your recovery for the day. If you find that you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (H.A.L.T.), it may affect how you socially interact with others.

Relax: Stop taking things so seriously. Don’t overthink or complicate the situation, and just trust the process. When we overthink or try to control everything, we have a tendency to make things worse, so relax and give it up to that power greater than you.

Trust: If you don’t trust yourself, that’s alright – trust the process. Allow yourself to just be you, practice the steps above, and trust that the event will turn out exactly the way it is supposed to. No more thinking, or trying to figure out how it’s going to be or what you are going to say, just trust that it will be OK. Allow yourself to just be.

Socially Awkward

Although some of these steps seem either too simple or silly, they have great power in them. Just like anything else in recovery, it takes practice before it becomes second nature. In addition, just because you feel socially awkward, doesn’t actually mean that you are. Remember that other people have feelings too, and there are plenty of others out there that have either once felt like you do now, or still do. Simply put, stop comparing your insides to others’ outsides; you never know what someone may be thinking or feeling. Recovery is a process and this is all part of learning how to be comfortable in your skin without the use of drugs or alcohol. We are all on this journey together so just try your best and let go of the rest.